The amount of data that municipalities deal with on an everyday basis has grown exponentially. In particular, local governments have focused on upping their cybersecurity efforts due to the sensitive information and data stored and shared with state and federal government programs. It is now more important than ever to ensure effective cybersecurity within local governments. In this blog, we will take a look at how your local government can reduce impending risks and secure innate vulnerabilities.
The cyber threat landscape for local governments
Local governments face a host of challenges when it comes to cybersecurity. To start with, they are often budget-constrained and typically behind many private sector organizations when it comes to digital maturity. According to Gartner Research, as of 2020, 80% of government organizations fell between the initial and developing stages on a five-level scale of digital maturity.
On top of that, since governments are responsible for many critical services and infrastructure, threat actors have been known to specifically target .gov websites and email addresses. Major threats include ransomware attacks, in which access to data or computer systems is blocked or encrypted until a ransom is paid.
Governments may also be the target of spear-phishing attacks. Cybercriminals can target emails to specific recipients, using the wording from other legitimate emails received in the past to create a message that looks believable. Government employees may even mistakenly open encrypted malware files simply because dealing with encrypted files isn’t unusual, especially in law enforcement.
Other common threats include standard phishing emails, brute force attacks, and zero-day exploits. If a local government’s network isn’t shored up against attacks, all it takes is one malware-infested email to make it through, and one unsuspecting person to click on a bad link.
Increased cybersecurity mandates from local governments
Many other sectors such as healthcare and finance have had to deal with cybersecurity and data compliance mandates for years, which contributed to their generally superior digital maturity and security posture compared to local governments.
Local governments simply haven’t made cybersecurity as much of a priority due to the challenges it poses. But with the increase in devastating attacks, such as The SolarWinds attack in 2020 that impacted the US Department of Homeland Security, among others, many state and local municipalities are proposing legislation that will force the issue. These mandates can’t come soon enough, especially when it’s predicted that 30% of critical infrastructure organizations will experience a security breach by 2025.
State and local governments must now prioritize cybersecurity and data policies to comply with new and upcoming mandates. But doing so with existing budget constraints, outdated technology, and lack of skilled personnel takes a certain amount of finesse.
How local governments can reduce cyber risks
Reducing risk and improving cybersecurity for state and local governments is often done in stages. Here we outline the building blocks that form the foundation for improved cybersecurity and digital maturity.
Conduct regular risk assessments
Performing cybersecurity risk assessments helps organizations determine the level of risk involved when it comes to their critical and secure data, information assets, and facilities. These assessments identify and scope the organization’s assets, assign values to each of those assets, calculate the likelihood and impact of various scenarios, weigh the cost of prevention against asset values, and help the organization determine the right security controls to implement.
By establishing a plan to conduct such assessments regularly, organizations ensure that they always have a handle on the current state of risk, even as their assets evolve. Not only that, but many mandates coming down the pipeline have requirements for continuous or ongoing risk assessment.
Establish employee training
One of the weakest links when it comes to cybersecurity is the human factor. A good web filter may block 99% of all malicious emails, but if just one gets through and someone clicks on a link, then the entire network may be at risk. Many people are unfamiliar with how to identify suspicious emails and links and click on them unwittingly. Employee training in how to identify phishing and spear-phishing attempts can help prevent such breaches.
Employees should also be trained on best practices surrounding password selection and usage as well as what to do if they think their computer is infected or their credentials have been hacked.
Examine the maturity of your cybersecurity program
Again, full cybersecurity maturity comes in stages. By identifying where you are now, it’s much easier to establish a path from there to where you’d eventually like to be. At the federal level, defense contractors are now required to undergo a third-party cybersecurity assessment, certifying the necessary level of cyber maturity based on the services they provide.
These levels of maturity are detailed in the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) framework, and similar such assessments may be required for state and local governments in the near future. SecurityScorecard is not only familiar with this framework but has experience helping government organizations assess both their cyber risk and maturity.
Prioritize third party risk management
Many government organizations contract with third parties for products and services. Those third parties often have access to critical government applications and data, which means those organizations aren’t managing risk well if they aren’t also keeping tabs on third-party risk. Visibility into vendor and partner risk, as well their security posture is vital and can be achieved by enlisting the help of a third-party risk management provider.
Maintain compliance with government mandates
All too often organizations don’t realize they aren’t in compliance until a breach or a lawsuit points it out. Maintaining compliance comes in two parts: being aware of the mandates and how they apply to your organization, and ensuring continuous compliance with those mandates as they change and as your infrastructure changes. This is another area where it helps to have a team of experts in your corner, tracking security mandates on your behalf and ensuring proper execution.
Practice due diligence
Practicing due diligence means being able to properly assess the security posture of future third parties. Continuously scanning your digital footprint also helps keep up with emerging threats and vulnerabilities. This helps prevent cybersecurity issues, aids with vendor selection, and helps organizations avoid disruption.
How SecurityScorecard can help
State and local governments don’t have an easy job when it comes to managing cybersecurity risk. But by implementing the right practices and engaging service providers with experience, they can start taking the steps needed to prevent breaches, improve their security posture, and remain compliant with new and upcoming mandates.
SecurityScorecard’s Security Ratings help organizations assess the strength of their security posture with an A-F scoring scale. This scale quickly shows where vulnerabilities have been detected and how to prioritize them. We also offer solutions for a variety of use cases, including due diligence, compliance, and third-party risk. Get your free instant scorecard and get started today.
